Hippotherapy is a treatment that uses the multidimensional movement of the horse; from the Greek word "hippos" which means horse. Specially trained physical, occupational and speech therapists use this medical treatment for clients who have movement dysfunction. Historically, the therapeutic benefits of the horse were recognized as early as 460 BC.

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Monday, May 18, 2009

My name is Pauline, I’m from the UK and I am a relatively new volunteer at Miracles Sudan horse riding school, helping Jane-Anne whenever or wherever I can.Have you ever heard of hippotherapy? Well I hadn’t, until recently. I thought of horseback riding as nothing more than riding a horse for pure enjoyment and to relax and get some exercise. I never even considered that riding a horse could be something that would help children by using the horse's movement to enhance physical, mental and emotional development. In a personal sense, it means a wonderful new world has been opened up to me and also for those lovely children. In an academic sense, it describes a therapy session that uses a horse as a tool.When I first heard of Miracles Sudan, I was a bit apprehensive about volunteering, as what did I know about hippotherapy or working with disabled or orphaned children, and how could this simple act of riding a horse help these children? In the months I have been helping Jane-Anne at Miracles Sudan riding center, I would begin to discover just how little I knew and just how much riding a horse can benefit these wonderful children. And my first lesson was learning the term of "hippotherapy", which means treatment with the help of the horse.

Contents

About Me

The Beginning.
When Guildford (Surrey UK) born Jane-anne moved to Sudan in 1990, she brought with her, her life long passion for horses. Over twenty years on and Jane-anne as an experienced riding instructor and horse trainer is using her equine skills for the therapeutic benefit of disadvantaged (disabled, orphaned) Sudanese children.
Not long after settling in the Sudan with Sudanese husband Yassin in 1990, Jane-anne started rescuing and rehabilitating maltreated horses.
To pay for the care and upkeep of these horses she started giving riding lessons opening a riding school/farm in Bahri, Khartoum in 1994.